Resolution 4492 - Laserfiche WebLink

GOALS AND POLICIES Everett currently enjoys a high quality of life that is largely dependent upon the natural beauty of the area. The City of Everett helps to preserve the quality of life through its comprehensive planning strategies that focus on its distinct natural areas. A comprehensive, non-motorized trail plan which allows residents to fully experience the area's resources, will be an increasingly desirable element as the city's population grows. The city's 1996 population of approximately 82,000 is expected to grow by about 1,000 persons per year through 2012, as a result of expanding employment opportunities. Boeing is expected to bring significant growth to Everett and Snohomish County. The Navy Homeport project will also bring more families. Snohomish County is experiencing tremendous changes, as it absorbs its share of the regional growth slated for the Pacific northwest in the coming years. The expected influx of people will place more strains on the existing parks, and create an even greater demand for trails. In addition, studies show that demand for trails and safe access routes, overall, is increasing in population centers. The 1991 IAC Washington State Trails Plan noted, "Desire for local access, time constraints, seasonal restraints on use of a majority of trails, and other factors would appear to prevent hikers from leaving population centers to use trails in preferred settings. This would explain why 38 percent of hikers/walkers used urban settings on their last outing; settings which account for less than four percent of the trail inventory." The IAC report goes on to conclude, "The vast majority of non-motorized trail demand appears to be in population centers. Simply put, people want trails near their home." General Goals. Everett Vision 2000, the community visioning process that forms one basis for the comprehensive plan, identifies the need for integrated pedestrian and bicycle trails within the City. The term "trail" as used herein shall include sidewalks, bicycle lanes on streets, and trail facilities separated from the City's street system for use by pedestrians and bicyclists. Everett's Transportation system consists of existing trails, roadways and sidewalks. These facilities will continue to comprise the major parts of the trail system. The strategy contained herein is to improve the existing infrastructure to better accommodate bicycle and pedestrian traffic and to develop new bicycle/pedestrian trail systems. In order to accomodate both the demand for local trails and maintain the quality of life in the Everett area, the Non-Motorized Transportation sub- element of the Transportation Element lists the following general goals: 1. Promote a transportation system that includes a trail system and places an emphasis on alternative non-motorized forms of transportation, and which integrates non-motorized transportation with the public transit system. 2. Include planning for trail facilities and improvements in all transportation capital improvement programs, land use planning policies, and implementing development regulations. W:\PLANNING\TRAILS\COMP96.DOC 8